Hikers in NH call 911 because of darkness

October 12, 2017

Two Massachusetts hikers were rescued on New Hampshire’s Dickey Mountain Trail last weekend after it became too dark for them to find trail markers.

According to New Hampshire Fish and Game officials, hikers Yuzhang Zeng, 26, and Jiachao Li, 27, both of Boston, called 911 at around 6:30 p.m. last Saturday. They said it had become too dark for them to see and they were worried about hiking in the dark.

Using GPS coordinates obtained from the 911 call, rescuers from Thornton police, Campton-Thornton Fire and Rescue, Waterville Valley Department of Public Safety and New Hampshire Fish and Game found the uninjured hikers roughly a mile and a half from the trailhead just before 9:30 p.m.

The two were able to hike out with rescuers once they were given flashlights.

1. Yeah going hiking without gear for “just incase” is stupid.
2. Snowflakes? Hmm I’m going to go with smart enough to not make the mistake of getting lost when there were only a little over a mile from the end. People walking in the dark in an unfamiliar place can end up anywhere. Better safe than sorry.
3. Why not use their cell phone screens or flash light (on most smart phones now) to see the markers? I’m going to assume they were low on battery or were not carrying a smart phone.